Recompense for a Promise
by Last Wind
Summary: In the absence of the Avatar, the air nation stands as the last defense to a growing threat to peace. It swears to fulfill a silent debt made three years prior, no matter the cost. (May contain the occasional spoiler)


Recompense for a Promise

**A little bit of my thoughts of what could happen in book 4 based off of a bit of the trailer. Probably won't be anywhere close, but hope you enjoy the read anyways. **

**Reviews are always really helpful!**

There they stood; a battalion of sharp grey opposite a small pool of cool red and orange.

Enemies, friends, family, gathered opposite on the wide field.

Those born of earth turned to live as wind braced beside one another, stared down those born of metal. Brother faced brother, sister faced sister. Both sides were melded, but split in two.

"You must stop this!" Tenzin's voice rung over the great expanse of the field. He stood at the head of the small, but rippling wave of orange and red combatants. He took a step forwards, robes billowing in the wind.

No response but steely silence from their massive opponent.

"Captain, please," he continued. "This is not peace. I understand you think this is right, but believe me, it is not. I urge you to reconsider."

The woman at the head of the ranks, backed by hundreds of metal bending troops as well as over a dozen air ships, laughed harshly.

"Go back to Republic City, Tenzin. This is no place for you." She crossed her arms and leaned back a little, as if the conversation was already over before it had begun. Tenzin was not phased, if anything his voice strengthened and he rose to his full height.

_How had they come to this point?_

"What you seek to do will cause suffering, and as air benders… it is our mission to protect those who cannot provide for themselves."

Kuvira's eyes sharpened, bore into those of the air bending master.

"Get out of my way. You stand to interfere with the greatest movement that has come to the earth kingdom since its liberation from the Queen."

Tenzin slowly shook his head, pulling forth every ounce of authority he could command, "You will not pass, not if your intentions remain unchanged."

"And they do not," she smirked.

"There are ways to solve this with peace—"

"If you do not move, my men will not fail to destroy your fledgling air nation," Kuvira leaned forward, yelling across the field. "Is that what you want Master Tenzin?! To lose every air bender alive for the sake of a few plots of land?"

Tenzin's hands clenched, it was not just land, but dozens—if not hundreds of lives at stake.

He glanced to the right. Eyes caught with those of his daughter, the young master. She turned to him, mouth set in a firm line, and nodded. He didn't need to look behind to know that the air benders who had chosen to join him would provide a similar consensus. Tenzin took a deep breath.

Sacrificing the air nation, his father's—no—Korra's legacy, it wouldn't come to that. They were strong, they could fight. Tenzin felt his chest puff out with pride. Air benders were just as resilient as any metal bender, and today? Well, they stood for something, they had a single purpose, something to believe in.

Kuvira stood for nothing, and yet she wanted to take away everything.

"I will not let you kill those people. Your war of exploitation will not continue," Tenzin heard a rumble of support at his back. "You are a threat to the balance of the world, Captain Kuvira."

Yes, they all believed in something. Their mission was that of the Avatar's.

Korra had been willing to die for them. The threat had been hers alone to bear, but she had done it regardless, and now that small group of air benders was a nation, and they were not alone, they had so many others to stand beside.

Every day, Tenzin remembered how he had sworn they would bear the burden when she could not, how he had promised to keep peace when she was gone, when she was hurt, when she was recovering from the wounds burned into her soul—all for their sake.

This was their battle, this was to be when finally they would pay full on their promise.

_On his promise to Korra._

Well, it had been three years, and if she was still suffering… the least he could do was stop others from meeting the same fate.

Tenzin took another step forward, shouting loud so all could hear.

"Leave now, and we will bear no ill will against the metal clan or its supporters."

A pause.

"Did you hear me?" He felt anger rise in his chest, maybe he was losing control of himself, but the anger fueled the intensity in his voice. "Kuvira!"

"You are too old for this, Master Tenzin," he could hear the laughter accompanying her words. The massive army at her back, they all joined together in the cacophonous ring. Kuvira silenced them with one hand in the air. She grinned,

"So you will not move?"

Tenzin could feel those behind him tense. He had feared it could come to this point, but had prayed so many times it would not.

He was the hope of the air nation, they were created to serve the world.

"No, as long as I live, you will not cause further harm to anyone."

"Really?" Kuvira exaggerated a long sigh. "Then I will have to rectify the situation."

In all of one second, she lifted a fist into the air and the entirety of the metal clan and earth benders attacked.

Air circled around his legs, tore at his robes, lifted him from the ground.

Those born of metal sped towards them in a flurry of flying rock and stone.

But those of air leaped to the sky.


End file.
